


Switchblade smiles

by ClaraCivry (Kat_Of_Dresden)



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Blood, Violence, character study of sorts, idk how to tag this, pre fight anticipation, the thrill of the fightttt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-02
Updated: 2016-11-02
Packaged: 2018-08-28 17:36:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8455627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kat_Of_Dresden/pseuds/ClaraCivry
Summary: A fight, from Oswald's and Ed's point of view. The before and immediately after. The joy of violence.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by (and created because of) Kasabian's Switchblade smiles

_Can you feel it coming?_

 

The anticipation before a fight was one of Oswald's favourite feelings in the world. That tingling sensation on one's limbs, the nervousness that traveled through him like an electric current, lighting up every part of him. It was like feeling even more alive than usual, extra-alive. And extra-alert too.

 

As much as he loved winning, there was something about the fight in itself, the moments in which he and his people were using the weapons and taking down their enemies, feeling someone else's blood in his face, in his hands, that blood rush, that made everything better. He loved seeing the fear on his enemies' eyes, and he loved the smell of blood and metal, and the whole landscape that it created.

 

Not for every day, obviously. He preferred the fine arts, a nice dinner with someone he cared about, some live music with a delicious drink. He was a man of simple pleasures. But occasionally, it was nice to be on top to show everyone why he was where he was. Why he should continue to be up there.

 

And the moment before the fight.... That was something else.

 

And this fight was something else too, because now he wasn't alone, or just surrounded by lackeys he didn't care for and henchmen that were too dumb to comprehend how glorious this battle was. Now he had Ed, and Ed had him, and standing together they were truly a force to be beckoned with. Together they were scarier than any beast the Gotham night may produce. And the things they were willing to do for each other.... They could be scary, yes, but they were also special and magical in their own twisted murderous way. 

 

_Can you feel it coming?_

 

Ed was grinning. He had been a relatively calm person most of his life, not excessively good in physical conflict. He'd been a scrawny and sickly kid, and it had been easy to overpower him. He was agile and had an ability to find places to hide, so he'd hid and contained all the sadness, the frustration and the anger the other's kids (and then adults, they were more subtle, but they were still so derogatory), they way he hid himself. Contain yourself, Edward, because when you don't you come off as too weird.

 

For so much time in his life, Ed had contained himself. He had controlled how he behaved with others, had hid his interests, the things that excited him and the ones that bored him, showing only the tip of the iceberg of he really was. Tried to live in society, even if society kept rejecting him. Had become a supporting player of even his own life.

 

Maybe it had been for the best, seeing as how when he finally let go and stopped restraining himself what had come out had been unpleasant at least... definitely dark. He'd felt no remorse for Officer Dougherty but Miss Kringle... He never intended to do that. And then ran into Mr. Penguin (who would become Oswald later down the roads) and everything had changed.

 

He was stronger now, more fierce. He didn't let people step over him and sideline him, or sometimes he did, and then he was creative with the consequences. Ah, yes. For very long, Ed had watched the crime and fighting happen without ever being part of it. He had inspected it, analysed it, he had known every little detail, had developed an expertise. But there had been a distance between them.

 

Now everything had changed and he was front and centre on the battlefield, the right hand man to a king of crime. And perhaps physically he still wasn't very imposing, but people had learned to fear him, because he was clever, too clever and it was nearly impossible to find out in which way he could fuck you up next, without you even noticing. This was one of the many things Oswald loved about him, that twisted psyche and that could surprise them at any minute. Ed's mind was boundless, and full of dark scary corners. 

 

_Can you feel it coming?_

 

There was a chill in the air, and nobody was surprised. It was never too hot in Gotham, and there was a perpetual cloud hanging above them. They didn't mind. They felt at home in the Gotham darkness as they waited for the inevitable. There was also an almost palpable silence in the air. The calm that precedes the storm.

 

_Can you feel it coming?_

 

The numbers of the enemy were formidable, almost too good. They were heavily armed and seemingly as determined as they were. They spoke the usual pleasantries, finished trying to solve this this in a diplomatic way (at least, no one could say that they hadn't tried) and readied themselves. Hands on the guns, thinking of their next moves.

 

Then there was a blood curdling scream and the noise started.

 

It was a bloodbath.

 

Gun, shots, slashes, some unknown poison gas, swords, everything was game. There was smoke coming out from seemingly nowhere, and it was making everything blurry. There was at least fifty people there, and even more weapons. It was difficult to keep track of what was going on, with blood pumping at such speeds. Who cared. This was their moment, the moment in which they prevailed, as always, the moment they became even bigger and more powerful than they were.

 

But then, the smoke cleared and Oswald didn't know where Ed was. What if something had happened to him? What if he was lying somewhere, eyes open but unseeing, bleeding out with his body filled with holes? What if someone had stabbed him, or shocked him with a taser, or snapped his neck? What if he found him alive, but only in time to say goodbye?

 

Why weren't they standing together? They had been when this all begun, and they should have been standing together for the whole thing. Ed was important to Oswald and everybody knew it, which gave people a reason to make him a target. Besides, nobody seemed to like him much. (Which Oswald could really not understand, I mean, what wasn't there to like?)

 

And then, amongst the dead bodies and the pools of blood, he found him. Ed was on top of a body, holding a small knife, with a gash on his cheek, a bleeding wound on one of his arms and cuts and scrapes on his face, the glasses a bit dirty but generally unharmed. And he was smiling.

 

Ed had many smiles: the can I tell you a riddle? Smile, the science is fascinating smile, the I'm happy to see you smile, the let's get to it smile, the that's a good idea smile, the we fucking made it smile, the let's prove those idiots wrong smile, the I'm simply happy smile (one of Oswald' favourites), a kind of default smile, the smile that wasn't a smile at all, but the skeleton of one....

 

And yet, this was a new one. It wasn't innocent, or exactly joyful. It was a dangerous smile, a violent one.

 

It was a switchblade smile and Oswald thanked all the gods of war for creating a battle that could create such a beautiful, perfect expression.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you liked! How great are bloody villains, amirite?
> 
> A bit different than the others, I know, but this song is sooooo good. Please do leave feedback, I want to hear from you, know if you liked it. Suggestions welcome, but I choose the song myself 'cos they need to speak to me :)
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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